Momo walked towards the bench with hands gripping tight on her bag straps. Seated on the bench was another girl, who had a gummy smile on her face while watching Momo go over.

“Hey,” Mina greeted, her smile getting wider as Momo neared her.

“H-Hey.” The girl replied, fixing her round specs.

It was their daily routine to meet at this bench during lunch hour. They had come across this rather secluded area of the school garden while exploring the school together during their freshmen year, and since then, this became their place. They really liked it; Momo not being a fan of crowds (people would always comment negatively about her) and Mina neither (she was always the centre of attention, not that she wanted it).

They ate together as they always did, with Mina sharing about her day, and talking about just anything and everything.

There was occasional silence, though not an uncomfortable one, and no one would have noticed something wrong with it, if they were not Myoui Mina.

“Momo,” she called, making the said girl look at her. “You’re a little quiet today, is anything wrong?”

“N-No, what do you mean? I-I’m always l-like that.”

Mina watched as Momo fixed her glasses clumsily – a gesture she always did when she was nervous. This worried her.

“Momo, you know you can tell me anything right?”

“Yeah,” Momo looked away, afraid to make eye contact with her friend. “I-I’m fine, r-really.”

“We’ve been friends for so long, Momo. I can see that you’re nervous.”

Momo let out a sigh. Of course, Mina could easily see through her. She gathered all her courage and finally said what she wanted to. “Okay. I-I just t-think we shouldn’t hang o-out everyday anymore.”

“Why?” There was a tinge of hurt in Mina’s voice, and both of them could hear it clearly.

“I-It’s nice to make m-more friends.” Momo gave a small smile, hoping it would convince the other girl. However, when she saw Mina’s expression, she knew her excuse was not bought.

“Momo, is something wrong?” Mina shifted closer to put her arm over the other’s shoulder, and Momo shook her head profusely. “Did you hear something?”

Bingo.

Despite them not hanging out in front of other people much (they actively avoided crowded areas), Mina knew. She knew that people always insulted Momo. She, too, had also overheard comments like, “I wonder why Mina always hangs out with that nerd.” It undoubtedly hurt Momo, but of the several times she asked about it, Momo always denied it. Mina, being the considerate friend, would then let the topic pass, as it was evident that Momo did not want to think or talk about it.

But now, for Momo to suggest something like not hanging out that frequently anymore, Mina was not going to let it go. She knew she had guessed right when Momo started fidgeting.

“What did they say?” Momo looked down, picking at her fingers.

“Momo?” Mina urged. She had to know what bothered the other girl so greatly.

Having known Mina for so long, Momo knew there was no escape, “T-they said I-I am hogging you, a-and that you d-deserve better.”

“Oh Momo,” Mina pulled her even closer. “I’m the one who chose to spend time with you. I like spending time with you. You’re the one who understands me, knows me the best, genuinely cares about me, and protected me. Who else can be better than you?”

Mina smiled at the memory.
 

FLASHBACK

“Give me back my pingu!” Baby Mina jumped, trying desperately to grab her soft toy which was in the hands of someone a few years older than her. She was just sitting at her usual corner, peacefully reading her book with her pingu in her hand when the boys decided to snatch her soft toy away. It seemed that they decided to bully her while the teachers were having a meeting.

“H-Hey, stop b-bullying her!”

The two boys looked behind, only to see a girl with thick round glasses staring at them. They knew her as a fellow kid from the childcare centre, as the outcast of the childcare centre.

The boys smirked. “What would you do, four-eyed?”

“G-Give it back to her!” Momo emphasised her point.

The boys never heeded her words, so she showed them what she would do.

//

Somehow, to her own surprise as well, Momo did win in the end, but not without several scratches and a bleeding nose. She grinned in satisfaction when she looked at the boys’ state. It would have been worse if the teachers had not pulled them apart in time.

She picked up the soft toy penguin on the floor and looked around. Spotting a girl peeping out from behind the door, she walked over and gently passed the soft toy over. “H-Here, your penguin.”

“Pingu!” Mina excitedly took it back, flashing a gummy smile filled with gratitude towards Momo. “Thank you!”

Momo gave a shy smile back. It did not matter if her scratches hurt, nor did it matter that she was about to get a scolding from the teachers (they had told the boys and her to go to the office). Even if she was given the choice, she would still fight it out to get the toy back again. All for that smile.

 

The two had gotten to know each other better after, and with Baby Mina relating the entire episode to her parents, they had invited Momo over, wanting to know of the girl who helped their precious daughter.

And here they are, years down the road, still by each other’s side. Mina had grown up beautifully, while Momo, well, she’s still the same girl with thick round glasses (but if you ask Mina, she would say that Momo had grown up beautifully as well).

“B-But-“

“No buts. I choose who I hang out with. You’re my best friend, Momo, and forever will be. I’m the happiest when I’m with you, and that wouldn’t change regardless of what others say. So don’t care about what they say, alright?” Mina genuinely hoped to assure her friend.

Momo nodded her head, her cheeks turning slightly red, feeling a little embarrassed. “T-Thank you.”

“Of course, if it ever bothers you, I’d rather you tell me. Give me a list of their names and I’ll personally shut them up.” Mina joked, internally feeling a sense of victory as Momo chuckled at the joke. “Now you’re smiling.”

Hope y'all liked it :)